Well, it’s finally here. The big weekend. You’ve done the preparation, you can only sit back and watch.
Which is exactly what we want you to do! For just one hour on either Saturday or Sunday please sit down, take a look out of the window and count the birds in your garden. Oh, and then submit your results, even if you don’t see anything. We still need to know.
For more information on how to take part see the Big Garden Birdwatch website. It’s so simple!
All welcome
I’ll be taking part too, I wouldn’t dream of missing it! I’ve been doing the Birdwatch since I was fresh-faced youngster staring hopefully out of the patio doors, watching entranced as blue, great and coal tits flew to and fro on their own little missions.
Back then it was only for YOC (now Wildlife Explorers) members. I’m glad that in 2001 the powers that be allowed adults to take part too! Last year 609,177 people took part. Where you one of them?
Tactics
They’re pretty simple, my tactics. But it’s my last Big Garden Birdwatch in this house, so I’d like it to be a good one.
I don’t have a garden, there’s a few plants to attract insects, ivy on the walls where blackbirds nest in spring and a tree across the courtyard. Hung there is a feeder. Or, as it’s known in my house, the ‘finch swing’, on account of the number of finches regularly seen on it! Green-, gold- and chaffinches are all regulars. The goldies appeared just after my Birdwatch hour last year, so I hope they’ll turn up during it this year.
Woodpigeons, collared doves, blackbirds and dunnocks skulk around underneath the feeder, hoovering up any seeds the messy-eating finches drop. I know it’s not a competition, but two years ago I scored a record 12 species. Star bird that year was a blackcap. More of these migrant warblers are spending their winters in the UK and with this year’s mild winter, perhaps we’ll see a few more this year.
Tradition
So, I’ll be watching early(ish) on Saturday morning, with my trusty Birdwatch bacon sarnie. It’s all part of the tradition, it just wouldn’t be the same without my bacon sarnie! I’ll let you know what I see.
What are you hoping to see? Do you have any Birdwatch traditions? Let me know and share in the fun of the world’s largest wildlife survey.
For more on our science, check out the RSPB Centre for Conservation Science web pages.
so few birds in my garden didnt bother as it dont represent the birds around here
the friedly bid watcher
During my hour I saw one sparrow, one greenfinch, one robin, one crested tit, four pigeons and a blackbird from the back of the house. Possibly the five seagulls at the front of the house don't count ? They certainly made their presence felt. They never appear at the back of the house
Novella
Well, I saw nine species during my Birdwatch hour. The goldfinches did turn up this year, four of them in fact. Star birds this year were the greenfinches however - a whopping of 12 of them at once either hanging off the feeder or sat in the trees waiting their turn. The 'finch swing' lived up to its name!
Jane: I hope your Birdwatch went well/will go well! Let us know what you see.
Tom/Richard: Sorry to hear that the sparrowhawk scared off your birds, but great to see one!
I have the same problem Tom. It caught a pigeon and only left the feathers.
Kind regards Richard.
just saw a sparrowhawk for the first time in the garden. Come on! Excellent!
Unfortunately though, that means all the regulars have well and truly sodded off